JAKARTA - Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that Islamabad would host a meeting of a delegation from the United States and Iran this weekend, following the announcement of a Middle East ceasefire.
"I express my deep gratitude to the leaders of both countries and invite their delegations to Islamabad on Friday, April 10, 2026, to further negotiate to reach a conclusive agreement to resolve all disputes," he said in a post on X, launching Al Arabiya (8/4).
Pakistan, which has forged close ties with President Donald Trump and is sensitive to developments in neighboring Iran, has emerged as a conduit for messages between Tehran and Washington in recent weeks.
"We hope very much that the 'Islamabad Talks' will succeed in achieving sustainable peace and want to share more good news in the coming days," PM Sharif said.
Previously, both Tehran and Washington said they had agreed to a two-week ceasefire, an hour before President Donald Trump's deadline to destroy Iran was due to end.
"With the greatest humility, I am pleased to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. I warmly welcome the…
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 7, 2026
It is known that tensions broke out in the Middle East when Israel and the United States launched an attack on Iran that killed its top leader on February 28, triggering a retaliatory attack from Tehran against the Gulf countries and Israel.
Lebanon was also dragged into the conflict after the Iran-backed Hezbollah group launched an attack on Israel, which has since launched counterattacks, including in the capital, and launched ground operations in the south of the country.
PM Sharif said the ceasefire applied "everywhere," including Lebanon, although Israel later said it did not apply to the country, where they carried out air and ground operations against Iran-backed Hezbollah.
The temporary ceasefire came after a last-ditch effort by Pakistan and other mediators to head off President Trump's threat to destroy all power plants and bridges across Iran, a move that legal experts say could amount to a war crime.
"Turkey and Egypt have also been helping with mediation in recent days, while China has helped bring Iran to the negotiating table," President Trump told AFP on Wednesday.
Despite being involved in a missile exchange with Iran two years ago and having a sometimes tense relationship with Washington, Islamabad currently has warm relations with both capitals.
It helps to enhance its credibility as a moderate state, strengthened by its alliances with major players in the region, including Saudi Arabia and Beijing.
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